It’s not often you hear an 18-year-old say they “slept in” until 3 a.m. 

But by the time Zayne Braaten rolled out of bed early Wednesday morning, his 16-year-old sister, Emmalynn, had been up since 2 a.m. to shower, put up her hair and do her makeup. They needed to get to the Flathead County Fairgrounds by 6 a.m., where their Angus cross cattle, Ben and Jerry, waited for breakfast.  

Zayne cleaned the pens with the help of their older brother while Emmalynn watched over the roughly 1,300-pound steers. At 7:40 a.m., they took their steers to the wash rack for a quick bath, then gave them a blow-dry and brushed out their coats.  

A walk around the Trade Center gave Ben and Jerry a chance to stretch their legs before Zayne and Emmalynn donned white button-down shirts, dark pants and navy-blue FFA jackets.  

By the time they dressed, there was still an hour left until judging for the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo steer show started at 10 a.m. Steers and heifers bellowed deep moos as 4-H and FFA competitors groomed their animals in a large pen outside. 

The Braaten siblings watched the activity as they stood against the white metal fence next to their steers. They’ve competed in livestock shows for years, but anxiety still gnawed at their nerves.  

They wanted to win, Emmalynn said. Last year, she placed fourth in the showmanship for steer and ninth overall. Zayne made it through to the final round of the senior showmanship and placed fourth overall.  

“I like to go out there and show off the steers, and all the work I put into this,” Zayne said.  

ON THE other end of the pen, Lisa Tuck, 12, sprayed pink sheen oil on her 1,334-pound Angus-Holstein cross steer named Blue. She couldn’t help but feel excited for her first show. 

“I feel like this is really, really fun,” Lisa said. “It’s my favorite market animal.” 

A few feet away, her older sister, Emily, finished grooming Elsa, a pregnant Holstein and Simmental cross heifer she bred at her grandparents’ dairy farm. Elsa and Blue are a special crossbreed known as “beef on dairy” in the dairy industry. Dairy cows are bred to produce milk at a young age, while Angus cattle are raised for beef, said Mary Tuck, Emily and Lisa’s mother.  

“By mixing the two qualities, you’re able to create a nice healthy in between,” Mary said.  

The Tucks own dairy farm Kalispell Kreamery, and Mary said there’s been a recent shift in the industry to the “beef on dairy” crossbreed. Her kids take advantage of the movement by experimenting with their heifers and beef projects at the county fair. 

FORTY STEERS entered the beef show this year, which is about 10 fewer than the last competition, said Assistant Beef Superintendent Ginger May. Entry numbers fluctuate every year as kids graduate from the program.  

The showmanship is divided between seniors and juniors, with four classes and a final round for callbacks. Callbacks are selected by the judge from each class, and the top competitors earn first through fifth place.  

Judge Bill Disberger has judged livestock competitions across 30 states for the last three decades, but this is his first time judging at the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo. He flew in from Manhattan, Kansas, on Sunday to judge the livestock competitions this week.  

“When you look at market animals, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a goat, sheep, steer or a hog,” Disberger said.  

He takes into account the animal’s muscle, weight and overall appearance. Aesthetic plays a factor in shows, he said, because the animal should be structurally correct and balanced.  

“The show world has got a little bit more aesthetics to it,” he said. “But the first goal is to make sure they fit the fundamentals of the real-world market.” 

Report for America Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 406-758-4439 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support. 

    Madison Brist watches the judge while showing her steer during during beef cattle showmanship inside the Trade Center at the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo on Wednesday, Aug. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider 

    Emma Brist watches the judge while showing her steer during beef cattle showmanship inside the Trade Center at the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo on Wednesday, Aug. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider  

  

    Emily Tuck leads her steer around the arena during beef cattle showmanship inside the Trade Center at the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo on Wednesday, Aug. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Emma Brist watches the judge while showing her steer during beef cattle showmanship inside the Trade Center at the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo on Wednesday, Aug. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

  

 Beau Siderius leads his steer around the arena during beef cattle showmanship inside the Trade Center at the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo on Wednesday, Aug. 12. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider